Condiment shaker



Dec. 26, 1950 F. WiGALVlN ETAL 2,535,913

CONDIMENT SHAKER Filed May 13, 1948 Inventors ,2 Fig. Frederick W.Galvin Lawrence J. Koch By w Patented Dec. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE C ONDIMENT SHAKER Frederick W. Galvin and Lawrence J. Koch, St.Paul, Minn.

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements, structurally andfunctionally, in condiment shakers, particularly those for table use inones home and public restaurants, and commonly used for dispensingeither salt or pepper, as the case may be.

More particularly, the invention has reference to a single shakerconstruction characterized by individual, selectively usable chambers,one for salt, and the other for pepper, the construction 1 andarrangement being such that the user may conveniently dispense eithersalt or pepper, whichever is, at the time, wanted.

The primary object of the invention is to structurally, functionally andotherwise improve upon combination salt and pepper shakers in whichcontainers, defining the individual chambers, are connected together insuperposed alignment and in which the products to be dispensed aredischarged through a single discharge opening at the bottom of theshaker.

Stated somewhat more explicitly, the invention has to do with a shakerconstruction having a bottom discharge opening and internal conduitmeans cooperating properly with the salt and pepper chambers, andembodying fixed and movable sections, the movable section being aplunger and provided with a press-button and functioning not only todeliver to the discharge opening, but to function as a valve, making itconveniently possible for the user to assuredly attain the wanted ends.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate likeparts throughout the views:

Figure l is an elevational view, on a small scale, of a combination orduplex-type condiment shaker constructed in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of said shaker;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan View of same;

Figure 4 is an enlarged central vertical sectional view, with parts inelevation, taken on the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 2, and lookingin the direction of the arrows;

Figures 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views, taken on the irregularsection lines 5-5 and 6li respectively of Figure 4, looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings by distinguishing reference numerals, itwill be seen that the container is sectional and embodies threeprincipal sections, namely a base section 8, top or cover section 5 andintervening section it. The sections are appropriate in proportions andshape, and may be approximately those represented in the drawings. Thebase section 8 cmbodies a cylindrical body portion 1 I having a suitablecircular base l2, the upper end of said body portion being fashionedinto a screw-threaded neck i3 and said body defining a receptacle Mwhich is here presumed to contain salt. The common discharge opening forthe products, salt or pepper as the case may be, is at the center of thebottom and is denoted l5. The section 8 also includes, at the center ofthe body portion, an upstanding delivery stem or tube It, which isrigid, which lines up with and rises verticallyfrom the dischargeopening l5, and has its upper end provided with an enlarged conicalinlet ll which also functions as a valve seat. The bore or passage ofsaid stem is denoted at I8. The upper end-portion ll is on a plane wellbelow the neck l3.

The body portion of section Ill is also cylindrical in cross-section andthe bottom of same is provided with a concavity l9. It is also formedwith a depending skirt which is fashioned into a screwthreaded neck Eliand this is threaded to the neck l3, thus separably adjoining thesections 8 and I E. The receptacle portion, which'lls presumed tocontain pepper, is denoted by the numeral 2! and the upper end of thebody portion 22, which defines said receptacle portion, is provided witha further screw-threaded neck 23, and this is adapted to accommodate theneck portion 2 3 of the cover 25. Referring again to the body 22, itwill be observed that this is provided at its center with a passage orbore opening into a socket defined essentially by an up standingcylindrical member 26, said socket housing a coiled spring 21. Slidablymounted, partly in the socket and partly in said bore, is a novelplunger unit 28, the lower portion 29 of said unit extending downwardlythrough the bore and into the salt receptacle M where it is providedwith an assembling and stop collar to, and a bevelled lower end 3!, the,latter constituting a valve and coacting with the valve seat IT. Theenlarged upper end portion 32 of the plunger provides a guide which isoperable in the socket 26, and which also provides a shoulder for theupper end of the expansion spring 21. The bore through the main part ofthe plunger, is denoted by the numeral 33 and constitutes the passagewhereby pepper from the receptacle 2! is allowed to gravitate downwardlyand into the bore 18 for exit through the discharge opening l5. Axiallyaligned with the plunger is a guide recess 34, and this is formed in thecentral portion of the cover and serves to acccommodate the head-portion35 of a push-button 3%. The head-portion 35 connects, by diametricallyopposite struts it! with the upper end of the plunger body.Incidentally,

, the upper end of the bore 33 is of conical form,

as at 38, to facilitate the dropping of pepper into the passage or bore33. Also, the underside of the cover is of concaved form, as at 39, toprovide a deflecting surface for the pepper. These cleaesaom fleetingsurfaces :9, on the one hand, and 39, on the other, have been referredto as deflecting domes, and: function satisfactorily to assistin shakingand delivering the condiments: into the delivery conduit for effectiveescape through the discharge hole i5.

Briefly, it will be seen that the shaker characterized by the sectionii, which defines a receptacle for salt or the like, together withection H] which defines a similar receptacle for pepper or the like, thetwo sections having conduit means made up of the stationary section itand the movable or plunger section 28, the latter section beingpush-button controlled. In addition, there is. the cover section 9which, closes the upper receptacle and also. provides a satisfactorymount for the plunger unit, the essential part of said conduit. means.Normally, the spring 21 pushes the plunger up and separates same fromthe stationary conduit section l 5.

In operation, assuming that the plunger is up (as shown in dotted lines)by catching, hold of the. shaker and shaking it in an up and downmovement, it. will be seen that. the salt in the receptacle will bedashed against the dome l9 :3

and will, in part, its way into the discharge bore. or passage ilLby wayof the. inlet l'l. lhus, the salt will be delivered. through thedischarge opening. At this time, the pepper is. imprisoned in thereceptacle 2! and does not escape. However, by forcing the. push-button3%. downand seating the. valve. 8i against the seat. ii, the isimprisoned in the receptacle. i i. against escape, and the. pepper isallowed to. discharge by way of. the passages t3, l8 and it, as isobvious.

Reference being had again to the. stop collar 39,. the primary functionof this element is that of a stop. That is to say,.when the coversection 9. is. separated. from the section it, collar serves to preventthe spring El from disl'odgi ng the. plunger, that is, pushing itcompletely out of the socket 26..

While we have based the disclosure on the idea that. the invention isessentially a combinationtype salt. and pepper shaker and dispenser, itis I obvious that the. structure serves to contain and dispense manyother dry granular and even liquid products.

A careful consideration of theforegoing description in. conjunction withthe invention as illustrated in the drawin s will enable the reader toobtain a clear'understanding and impression of the alleged features ofmerit and novelty sufficient to. clarify the constructionof theinvention as hereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts mayberesorted to in actual practice-so. long as no departure is made fromthe invention as claimed.

Having described: the invention what: is; claimed as: new is:.

1'. A combination-type condiment shaker embodying a lower sectionincluding a body portion having a base provided with a dischargeopeningand defining a receptacle, said base having an upstanding tubular stemlined up with the said discharge opening, the upper end of said stembeing below the plane of the upper end of said body portion and beinadapted to deliver a condimer-it from the receptacle through the stemand to discharge same by way of said discharge opening, a second sectionincluding a body portion detachably connected with the first named bodyportion. and formed in its bottom with a concavity'providing adeflecting dome to assist in delivering condiment into the upper end ofsaid stem, said second body portion defining a second condimentreceptacle andhaving a, central guide bore and an upstandingmemberdefining a guide socket, a spring returned plunger slidable in the boreand socket, the lower end of said plunger being. lined up with andcontactable with the upper end of said stem and functionin as a valve,said plunger having a central passage, the upper end of said passagebeing conical to assist in delivering condiment from the secondreceptacle into the passage, a closure connected to the upper end ofsaid section section, the underside of said closure having a concavityforming a deflecting dome. for the upper portion of said secondreceptacle, a push-button slidably' mounted in said closure, and meansintegrally connecting said push-button with said plunger.

2. A combination-type condiment holder and shaker embodying a lowersection including a hollow body portion, said he y portion having a baseat its bottom. and being open at its top, said base being provided witha condiment discharge opening, said base and body portion defining acondiment receptacle, said base having an upstanding tubular stem risinginto said receptacle and lined up at its lower end with said dischargeopening, the upper end of said sternbeing open and to deliver apredetermined condiment from the receptacle through, the existingpassage in the stern and through the. discharge opening, an uppersection also including a body portion, said body portion being detachably connected with the upper end of thev first named body portion andhaving a bottom overlying the. upper end of said first: body portion andproviding a. deflecting surface to assist in delivering condiment intothe upper end of said stem, said second. body portion defining a secondcondiment receptacle and having a closure provided with a plunger guide,a plunger slidable in said second-named body with its lower endprojecting into the first-named recep tacle and lined up with andcontactable with the upper end of said stem and functioning a a valvefor the stem, said plunger having a central passage, the upper end ofsaid passage being communicable with said upper receptacle, a pushbutton slidaoly mounted in the plunger guide in said cover, an operatingconnection between said push button and upper end portion of saidplunger, and spring mean mounted in said second-named body portion andengageable with the plunger for normally raising the latter anddisengaging the valve from contact with said stem.

FREDERICK W. GALVIN. LAWRENCE J. KOCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED. STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 59,406 Keep Nov. 6, 1866 529,221Wagner Nov. 1v, 1894 688,209 Svendsgaard Dec. 3-, 1901 731,659. BennettJune 23, 1903 903,548 Hayes Nov. 16, 19%3 1,579,892 Shaw Apr. 6, 19261,965,148 Massa July 3, 1934 1,965,919 Bieger et. a1 July 10, 19342,035,256 Ball Mar. 24, 1936 2,2 l3,393 Reinhardt May 27, 194 1

